Line callouts and text background in ArcGIS

Cip

Posted 25 February 2008 - 02:01 PM

Cip

Newbie

Validated Member

5 posts

Location:Bistrita

Romania

hi,

I am using ArcGIS to create a similar labelling such in the attached example:

So far I managed to create the line callout and a label expression to stack a symbol and a number taken from the attribute table. Converted the labels to annotation and when moving the annotation the line callout appear.

The problem is that i cannot make the label to be a rounded rectangle such as the one in the map.

The idea is that I want to create a similar symbol

Do you have any ideas how I can do that in ArcGIS?

Looking forward to your reply.

Attached Thumbnails

merft

Posted 25 February 2008 - 04:43 PM

merft

Key Contributor

Validated Member

86 posts

Location:Colorado

United States

What you would need to do is create 2 point shapefiles and a line shapefile. I would probably drawn all my leaders first and attribute them. Then create the point shapefiles from the line feature (beginning/end vertices). Symbolize the origin and leader normally. The label you don't symbolize the point location and label only with the icon set as a background image.

Cip

Posted 25 February 2008 - 05:03 PM

i am basically looking for customizing the callout, changing the simple rectangle with a rounded rectangle (same like in balloon callout).

so far i have found a custom circle callout, which works fine. but i need the rounded rectangle.

best,cip

What you would need to do is create 2 point shapefiles and a line shapefile. I would probably drawn all my leaders first and attribute them. Then create the point shapefiles from the line feature (beginning/end vertices). Symbolize the origin and leader normally. The label you don't symbolize the point location and label only with the icon set as a background image.

merft

Posted 25 February 2008 - 06:01 PM

merft

Key Contributor

Validated Member

86 posts

Location:Colorado

United States

Your options in the for callouts is somewhat limited. As you found out you can do everything except the rounded callout boxes. I put the attached example together in about 5 minutes. Illustrator and ArcMap.

Unit Seven

Posted 25 February 2008 - 07:06 PM

Can be done using your basic callout class and then overlaying the same anno layer with a symbol substitution to create the boxes.

See attached mxd and personal geoDB for what I mean. My marker box isn't made up very well. If I was doing this I'd build a custom font to create a better "engineered" symbol but it should give you the idea.

Attached Files

Cip

Posted 26 February 2008 - 02:46 PM

Cip

Newbie

Validated Member

5 posts

Location:Bistrita

Romania

Hi,

This is wonderful. Tt seems to be working fine.Nevertheless, I would like to ask for the steps you followed to accomplish this.Basically, creating both annotations. What are the steps for each of them.

I can see that I can still move the label and position it wherever I want, moving both annotation layers.Will this system work for about 2-300 points?

Best,Cip

Hi Cip,

Can be done using your basic callout class and then overlaying the same anno layer with a symbol substitution to create the boxes.

See attached mxd and personal geoDB for what I mean. My marker box isn't made up very well. If I was doing this I'd build a custom font to create a better "engineered" symbol but it should give you the idea.

Cip

Posted 26 February 2008 - 05:08 PM

Cip

Newbie

Validated Member

5 posts

Location:Bistrita

Romania

Which are the exact steps you followed to create the callout in the image you posted.

I created a font where each glyph is a capsule containing my symbol, and a custom glyph with the same shape as the capsule that I will use in the marker symbol to make the background not transparent but any color i want.

It remains that i figure out how to create the annotation that contains only the line callout and the other annotation on top with the labels.

I have 50 symbols to put on the map, does this mean I will have 100 annotation layers in the end?Or perhaps I could create classes and have, let's say 10 layers (if i couple the symbols in certain categories).

So, in the end, i need to learn how to create the distinctive annotations.

Your options in the for callouts is somewhat limited. As you found out you can do everything except the rounded callout boxes. I put the attached example together in about 5 minutes. Illustrator and ArcMap.